Tuesday 27 February 2001 06.12 EST
First published on Tuesday 27 February 2001 06.12 EST

The British record industry rewarded familiarity last night by eschewing the glamour of All Saints and the originality of Craig David and going with what it knows: Robbie Williams.

With four gongs from the five categories in which he was nominated, Williams dominated the Brit Awards for the second consecutive year. It was hardly surprising: in his evolution from Take That teen star to serious recording artist Williams has won 12 Brits.

It was a bitterly disappointing night for David, who had been nominated in all six categories for which he was eligible, including best single and best British male solo artist. There was widespread shock that the 19-year-old R&B singer from Southampton, acclaimed as one of the most distinctive voices on the British music scene, should have been overlooked.

News of the surprise leaked out at the weekend, when David's record company began cancelling parties to celebrate his expected success. Sources at the Brits - which are voted on by an academy of record company officials, retailers, journalists and members of the public - said it was merely an unfortunate coincidence that he had not triumphed in any category.

Another set of British music favourites, Coldplay, fared better: they beat Moloko, All Saints, Radiohead and Toploader to take the award for best British group; while their CD Parachutes beat David's Born To Do It and Williams's Sing When You're Winning for best album.

There was good news, too, for Madonna: after 14 nominations the American singer, who has adopted London as her home, won her first Brit award for best international female solo artist. It comes after a year in which she has once again reinvented herself for a new generation, with her marriage to Guy Ritchie and a run of hit singles.

US rap star Eminem picked up an award for best international male singer. His performance at the awards ceremony, at Earls Court in London, provoked protests from gay rights groups: Peter Tatchell of OutRage! said: "This nomination is the moral equivalent of honouring a Ku Klux Klan singer."

The Irish band U2 took a lifetime achievement award, as well as best international group. The band, schoolboy friends who started 25 years ago, have sold more than 100m albums and earned more than £300m.

It was the presence of a rather more green set of artists that captured as much attention at the event as the international millionaire stars: Hear'Say, the band formed from the ITV series Popstars, performed their first single, Pure and Simple. It was the first live television performance of the record, which will be released on March 12.

Other performers providing the soundtrack to the event included Westlife, who won best pop act; and Sonique, who took the award for best British female solo artist.

The presenters of the Saturday morning children's shows SM:tv Live and CD:UK, Ant and Dec, hosted the awards, which will be broadcast on ITV tonight.